Vertical barrier fencing for containing contaminated materials, and use thereof

ABSTRACT

A system for separating contaminated materials from clean natural waterways and environmentally safe areas that thrive in wildlife breeding grounds, wetlands, marsh grass, natural vegetation, and wildlife habitats. The invention provides an effective and relatively inexpensive apparatus and process for hazardous material containment along shorelines, rivers, and estuaries (for maximum protection against contamination). Vertical erected fiber mesh filter fabric which allows clean water molecules to pass through but does not allow heavier/larger contaminated molecules to enter into uncontaminated areas, either from surface areas or subsurface areas. A floating boom acts as an oscillating scrub brush as tidal waters increase (rise) as well as an absorbent pad for the contaminated materials. One-way tidal doors allow juvenile sea life to naturally migrate to deeper safe havens with normal daily tidal changes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/354,244, filed Jun. 13, 2010, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Oil exploration and recovery and other industrial activities create a potential threat of oil spills and waterway contamination. In view of industrial and residential development, protection and preservation of such waterways has become increasingly important. An effective and inexpensive process for hazardous material containment along shorelines, rivers and estuaries is particularly desirable.

Floating barrier or containment boom systems have been devised to contain pollutants in lakes and seas. Typically, they employ a series of buoyant boom sections that have segments of curtains or skirts attached thereto. The curtains are typically made of water-impervious, non-oil-absorbent, flexible sheet material. The curtains extend downward into the water below the boom section and are usually stabilized by at least a weighted ballast integrated into the lower edge of the curtain. These systems employ various, sometimes elaborate, mechanical means for securing boom sections to curtain segments and for interconnecting boom curtain sections to form a continuous containment system. Such booms may be provided in small sections and require extensive subassembly prior to deployment, which represents an increase in labor requirements as well as an increase in deployment time. These increases represent an increased cost and delay in deployment of containment boom systems.

Some containment systems employ a series of cables, wires, and other structural supports to provide rigidity and/or stability to the curtain segments and the system as a whole. Some such systems may be susceptible to the movement of contaminants beneath the boom curtain. When exposed to wind-generated currents, tidal currents, or wave conditions, such booms have been known to break under the load, or to be overtopped by waves, or to have pollutants propelled over and under the boom.

In addition, conventional boom systems sometimes employ a curtain made of a flexible fabric that allows water to move through the curtain while, at the same time, the flexible fabric controls or minimized the passage of suspended particles or marine life through the curtain. Such systems, however, are sometimes susceptible to becoming clogged with suspended particulates or marine life.

Booms are often used in dealing with oil spills, but are most effective in still water. They are often not completely effective in containing a spill on water which is moving, either continuously, such as in a river or seaway, or discontinuously, such as in tidal water, since such conventional boom systems are essentially impervious and serve to obstruct the water flow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to contain contaminants in moving water, thereby protecting uncontaminated areas. Further objects of the invention are to provide a containment system which: (1) is relatively inexpensive to install and maintain; (2) interferes minimally with marine live; (3) removes contaminants from the water; (4) protects natural waterways and environmentally safe areas; and (5) restores wetlands.

The invention involves providing vertical erected fiber mesh filter fabric which allows clean water molecules to pass through but does not allow heavier/larger contaminated molecules to enter into uncontaminated areas, either from surface areas or subsurface areas. The invention also features a floating boom which acts as an oscillating scrub brush as tidal waters increase (rise) as well as an absorbent pad for the contaminated materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the inventive system at high tide.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an optional trap door.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the inventive system at low tide.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the inventive system at low tide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The embodiment of the invention shown in the Figures serves to protect natural wetlands and/or a wildlife habitat from contaminated water. Preferably, the inventive apparatus is installed in the intertidal zone of a coastal area. Substantially vertical posts, preferably T-posts, make up a fence which supports a filter fabric which allows clean water molecules to pass through, but does not allow heavier/larger contaminated molecules to pass through. The posts preferably further support a wire cloth backing to the fabric.

The filter fabric is preferably made of a fiber mesh. The fabric can be any woven or non-woven material or materials. The fabric may be a geotextile or engineering fabric. The fabric is preferably a water-pervious sheet of plastic fibers, filaments, or yarns that have been formed into a stable network such that the fibers, filaments, or yarns retain there relative position to each other. The fabric may be a woven product or a non-woven random construction of fibers.

The fabric may be reinforced to reduce wear and tear. Preferably, vinyl J-channels reinforce the fabric at intervals corresponding to the vertical posts to reduce wear and tear that may be caused by chafing of the fabric on the posts.

Angled support braces, preferably further T-posts, provide additional structural strength to the fence. The substantially vertical posts are spaced preferably every 3 to 5 feet, more preferably every 4 to 5 feet. The support braces are preferably spaced 10 to 20 feet apart. The vertical posts and braces may be made out of a variety of materials and may have a variety of dimensions, such as 4 in.×4 in. lumber or 2 in. heavy gauge metal fence posts. Such spacing, materials and dimensions will depend on predicted currents and wave action in a particular location, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill

A floating boom acts as an oscillating scrub brush as tidal waters increase (rise) as well as an absorbent pad for the contaminated materials. The boom is made of or contains a material which absorbs the relevant contaminant, such as oil. The boom is anchored near the base of the substantially vertical posts with a boom line, which may be made of a variety of materials such as nylon rope or metal chain. The boom may be continuous or may be segmented. Segments of about 10 feet are preferred to facilitate handling. The boom is preferably generally cylindrical with a diameter of 4 to 10 inches.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, one-way tidal doors allow juvenile sea life to naturally migrate to deeper safe havens with normal daily tidal changes. The door may be configured to automatically open when the pressure is higher on the clean side of the fencing, or it can be configured to be operated manually, with manual operation being preferred. Optionally, such wildlife may be trapped on the contaminated side of the fencing and manually moved to the clean side.

In addition to stopping contaminated material from entering into sensitive wetland habitat, the invention also helps restore wetlands by preventing sediments from being carried out to sea by normal wave action, normal tidal changes and run offs from normal weather conditions, as the normal inflow and outflow of waters are not interrupted. Sediments are contained while water may pass through to and fro. 

1. A barrier for containing one or more contaminated materials or preventing erosion, said barrier comprising a plurality of substantially vertical posts, a filter fabric which allows clean water molecules to pass through, but does not allow contaminated molecules to pass through, a floating boom which comprises a material which absorbs at least one of the contaminated materials to be contained, wherein the filter fabric is supported by the vertical posts and wherein the boom is attached to at least some of the vertical posts by boom lines.
 2. The barrier of claim 1, further comprising a wire cloth backing to the fabric which is supported by the vertical posts.
 3. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the vertical posts are spaced from 3 to 5 feet from one another.
 4. The barrier of claim 1 further comprising angled support braces attached to at least some of the vertical posts and the braces are spaced from 10 to 20 feet apart from one another.
 5. The barrier of claim 4, wherein the vertical posts and braces are T-posts made of heavy gauge metal.
 6. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the boom is substantially cylindrical and the boom lines are of a length calculated to allow the boom to float on the water during normal tidal fluctuations and to remain in proximity to the filter fabric.
 7. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the vertical posts are implanted in a sea floor in an intertidal zone, wherein the filter fabric is reinforced by vinyl J-channels corresponding to the posts and wherein the boom lines are attached to the vertical posts near the sea floor.
 8. The barrier of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tidal doors which allow seal life to migrate out to sea.
 9. The barrier of claim 8, wherein the tidal doors automatically open in one-direction only when the pressure is higher on the side of the barrier which is to be protected from the contaminated materials.
 10. The barrier of claim 1 wherein the boom comprises a plurality of approximately 10 foot sections, has a diameter of 4 to 10 inches, and is attached to the boom lines near an axis so as to allow rotation of the boom as it contacts the filter fabric.
 11. The barrier of claim 2 further comprising angled support braces attached to at least some of the vertical posts and the braces are spaced from 10 to 20 feet apart from one another, wherein the boom is substantially cylindrical and the boom lines are of a length calculated to allow the boom to float on the water during normal tidal fluctuations and to remain in proximity to the filter fabric, wherein the vertical posts are implanted in a sea floor in an intertidal zone and extend at least 5 feet above the sea floor, wherein the vertical posts are spaced from 3 to 5 feet from one another, and wherein the boom lines are attached to the vertical posts near the sea floor.
 12. A method for containing one or more contaminated materials or preventing erosion, said method comprising installing the barrier of claim 1 in proximity to a shoreline, river or estuary.
 13. The method of claim 12, comprising installing the barrier in an intertidal zone, and wherein one of the contaminated materials is oil.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the vertical posts are implanted in a sea floor in an intertidal zone, wherein the filter fabric extends from the sea floor to at least 5 feet above the sea floor and wherein the boom lines are attached to the vertical posts near the sea floor.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the boom is substantially cylindrical and the boom lines are of a length calculated to allow the boom to float on the water during normal tidal fluctuations and to remain in proximity to the filter fabric so that the boom scrubs the filter fabric in an oscillating manner.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the barrier further comprising angled support braces attached to at least some of the vertical posts and the braces are spaced from 10 to 20 feet apart from one another, wherein the boom is substantially cylindrical and the boom lines are of a length calculated to allow the boom to float on the water during normal tidal fluctuations and to remain in proximity to the filter fabric, wherein the vertical posts are implanted in a sea floor in an intertidal zone, wherein the vertical posts are spaced from 3 to 5 feet from one another, and wherein the boom lines are attached to the vertical posts near the sea floor.
 17. The method of claim 12 wherein the barrier further comprises a plurality of tidal doors which open during periods of outgoing tidal flow to allow seal life to migrate out to sea. 